Centrifugal separator



June 7, 1938. J, F. THOLL CENTRIFUG'AL SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 18, 1936 Patented June '7, 1938 CENTRIEUGAL sEPAnA'roa John F. Tholl, Need am, Mess, assignor to American Tool & Machine 60., Hyde Park, Boston, Mass., acorporation Massachusetts Application January 18, 1936, Serial No. 59,736

6 Claims. (CL'210-63) This invention relates to centrifugal separators and similar machines. 7 It aims to devise a machine of this type which can be conveniently used in various treatments of solids, such as fabrics, yarn, fibers, and others. Such treatments are desirable in impregnating,

v dyeing, and many other operations, and the present invention proposes to utilize the action produced in a centrifugal in order to create the hyby a hand nut i2 threaded on to the upper end of the column 8. A spring retaining ring I! fitting into agroove in the wall of the housing I at its upper end prevents the washer from being forced out when this nut -is backed up. Prefer-' secured to the cover 5.

In introducing the material to be treated into the basket, the cover is removed by unscrewing ably the housing .1 is welded or otherwise rigidly drostatic pressure desirable to promote the imthe d ut 2, a d when this loading 01mpregnation or th treating process, and t ation has been completed thecover is returned eiiect the separation of the treating liquid from to s initial P s s Shown in e ethe treated material and the discharge oi? said after the dye other treatifig qui s t oliquid from the separator. duced into the basket through the column 3. The

The nature of the invention will be readily rapid rotation of the' basket creates a very sub- 1.5 understood from the following description when stantial y at c e s ected radially. read inconne'ction with the accompanying drawwhich is highly useful in producing a thorough ing, and the novel features will be particularly and c mplete i pr na ion of the goods with the pointed out in th appended claim liquid, it being understood that the treated ma- I th r terial naturally i held against the lining of the Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of the basket of a centrifugal separator constructed in accordance with this invention; and

'Fig. 2 is' a plan view of the basket illustrated in Fig. 1.

The construction shown in the drawing comprises a basket 2 of approximately cylindrical form but tapering slightly from its lower end toward its upper end. It may be supported for rapid rotation about a vertical axis in any suitable inanner as, for example, in accordance with my prior Patent No. 2,018,474, although the arrangement illustrated in that patent for maintaining the casing substantially airtight usually is not required in the present invention. Such a supporting mechanism, however, includes suitable bearings for the vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, and a casing or curbing encircling the basket to catch and carry away-the liquid separated from the treated material.

The basket structure includes a central hollow column 3 through which the treating liquid may be introduced, this column being provided with ports 4 through which the liquid can flow. iree.y

The upper into the main body of the basket. and larger end of the basket normally is closed by a cover 5, the margin of which rests. on a gasket 6, usually consisting of lead or some :other suitable material. In order to hold the cover securely but yieldingly in its closed position, the central portion of this member is provided with a housing I in which a coiled spring 8 is mounted,

the lower end of this spring bearing on the bottom of the housing, while its upper end bears against a, washer III which, in turn, is backed up For this purpose several bell crank levers; H are basket by centrifugal inertia, and that it is submerged in the treating liquid which assumes an approximately uniform radial depth in'the basket.

When the goods have been subjected to-the action of this liquid for the desired length of 2 time, it then becomes necessary to discharge the liquid. In order to facilitate this operation, means has been provided to open the cover automatically and thus to permit the liquid to escape.

pivoted, respectively, on pins i5. positioned in a ring ISthat is secured rigidly to, or isiormed integrally with, the cover 5, non lever being mounted. in a radial clot provided for'it in the i ring; Under the heel of each lever I is a pin 3;,

I! which forms the fulcrum for the lever, these pins-being secured in and projecting upwardly from a collar I! which is shrunk on, or otherwise rigidly secured to, the upper margin of the basket. These levers are so designed and weighted that they do not interfere substantially with the action of the spring ,3 in maintaining the cover 5 closed at the normal operating speeds of the basket. When, however, it is desired to discharge the liquid, the speed of the basket is increased to an abnormallyhigh value, and at this high speed the centrifugal force or centrifugal inertia of the levers I4 is suilic'ent to swing their upper ends outwardly, thus causing them to rock on their respective pins I! and to lift the 5 cover. 5. As above stated, the basket; is slightly tapered toward its upper end so that the hydrostatic pressure is greatest at this, point and the liquid, therefore, flows out under the margin of the cover into the groove 20in the collar ll and thence through a multitude of downwardly inclined ports 2|, this liquid being caught by the surrounding casing or curbing with which these machines customarily are equipped.

The slight taper of the basket materially facilitates the draining of the liquid from the goods, but in order to promote this action and to produce a more efiicient separation of the liquid from the solid material, the basket desirably is equipped with a special lining. Preferably this lining consists of two foraminous layers, the inner of these layers serving to support the material under treatment and to permit the passage of the liquid radially through it, while the outer layer acts as a spacer to separate the inner layer from the imperforate wall of the basket by a distance sufficient to permit the flow of the liquid under the action of centrifugal force along the wall of the basket toward its upper end. In the particular construction shown the inner layer or lining member 22 consists of a perforated sheet of metal, while the spacing layer, 23 consists of a woven wire fabric or screen of fairly coarse mesh. Thus after the main body of the liquid has been discharged, the continued rotation of the basket throws the liquid still retained by the solid material through the lining sheet 22 into the screen 23 where centrifugal action forces it along the inner wall of the basket toward the upper end of the latter and discharges it through the annular slot between the margin of the open cover 5 and the gasket 6.

The invention thus provides a, centrifugal mechanism in which treatment of solids with liquids can be produced rapidly and efliclently. The machine is especially useful in those processes which require the material to be subjected to the action of a series of liquids of different kinds or having different concentrations. It will be evident that after the initial treatment with one liquid and the discharge of that liquid from the container, and the draining of the liquid from a receptacle comprising a separator basket and a cover therefor, said receptacle being revolvable around its own axis at a high speed, yieldable means for holding said cover closed, and means mounted upon said receptacle for rotation therewith, and operable by centrifugal force developed by rotation of the receptacle, to control the open- Y a cover therefor, said receptacle being revolvable around its own axis at a high speed, yieldable means for holding said cover closed, and means mounted upon said receptacle for rotation therewith, and operable by centrifugal force developed by rotation of the receptacle, to release, and cause said cover to open at abnormally high speeds.

3. In a centrifugal device, the combination of a receptacle comprising a separator basket tapered toward one end thereof and a cover for closing the larger end of said basket, said receptacle being revolvable around its own axis at a high speed, yieldable means for holding said cover normally in a closed position, and means mounted upon said receptacle for rotation therewith, and operable by centrifugal force developed 4. In a centrifugal device, the combination of a receptacle comprising a separator basket and a cover therefor, spring means for holding said cover closed, and additional means mounted upon said receptacle for rotation therewith, said additional means being operable by centrifugal force developed by rotation of the receptacle to lift and open said cover against the action of said spring means. f

5. In a centrifugal device, the combination of a receptacle comprising a separator basket tapered toward one end thereof and a cover for closing the larger end of said basket, said receptacle being revolvable around its own axis at a high speed, yieldable means for holding said cover in a closed position, and a plurality of pivoted levers mounted to revolve with the receptacle, said levers being so positioned as to operate by centrifugal force developed by rotation of the receptacle to open'the cover, at a substantially predetermined speed.

6. In a centrifugal device, the combination 0 a receptacle comprising a, separator basket and a cover therefor, said receptacle being revolvable around its own axis at a high speed, yieldable means for holding said cover closed and weight -means constructed and arranged, and mounted to rotate with the basket, in such manner as to move outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force, and means operatively connecting said weight means to the cover in such manner as to move the cover to open position as a result of the outward movement of the weight means.

JOHN F. THOLL. 

